Monday, August 29, 2011

Under this hat is my cute niece. She is having a tea party with her cousins. They made their own hats, with some help from their moms.

Want to make your own hat?

Cut about 3 feet of butcher paper (we used paper that was about 24" wide).

Mold the paper over the child's head.

Wrap some tape around the child's head to keep the shape. This way the hat will fit and stay on.

4. Roll up the edges of the paper to form the brim of the hat.5. Take the hat off and DECORATE! Use feathers, bows, ribbons, sequins, pearls, tissue paper, etc.) We made some tissue paper flowers to go with the whole "paper" idea. Click HERE for a tutorial on how to make easy tissue paper flowers.

MJ had a blast with her cousins. They all looked darling in their little hats. I think we might try a tea party-themed birthday in the spring.

When was the last time you or your child has played with dominoes? We inherited a huge bag of wooden dominoes from my mom- the same dominoes I used to play with when I was a kid. My brothers and sisters and I would set them all up and then knock them over, use them as little blocks and stack them up, and count all the dots on the pieces. I don't remember using them to actually play a real game of "Dominoes."

MJ likes playing with them the same way I did- knocking them over. It's fun to see her grasp the concept of cause and effect.

She also likes building with them, and even playing a REAL game of "Dominoes." She learned that she had to count the dots and then match the same numbers up.

Friday, August 26, 2011

Well, I missed one earthquake while I was gone on vacation and made it back just in time for Hurricane Irene. We were extremely blessed that the hurricane slowed down and passed without any damage. We pray for those who have been affected by the hurricane.

We prepared for the worst. I never take chances with the lives of my kids and husband. I prepared the best I could.

There are 3 things that I ALWAYS have ready to go for whatever emergency may arise. I want to share with you what these 3 things are. This made my preparation a lot easier.

1) Flee Bag.This bag is a plastic shopping bag that contains an old pair of tennis shoes, a pair of clothes (light-weight, pajama pants and t-shirt sort of thing just in case you're not fully clothes when emergency strikes), and a flashlight. This stays at the foot of the bed in case of an unplanned emergency and you have no time to do anything but just go.

2) Emergency Backpacks. Each family member has a backpack loaded with toiletries, flashlight, whistles, a pair of clothes, some activities, and snacks. It gets complicated when you have a baby. This is a 72-hour kit for each member of the family. I usually keep these in the car (if you have the room) or by the front door. Make sure the backpacks are updated every 6 months or so. Food expires, kids grow out of clothes and diaper sizes, etc.

Here's a list of things and other suggested items that I keep in my backpacks:

For Adult or Older Children

WATER

Soap (hand sanitizer and bar)

Acetaminophen and/or ibuprofen

Pepto Bismol

Wipes

Feminine hygiene supplies

Toothbrush

Toothpaste

Shampoo

Deodorant

Sunscreen

Chapstick

Hand lotion

Socks

Clothes

Flashlight

Whistle

Tissues

Trash bag

Rain poncho

Deck of playing cards

Pen and paper (small notebook)

Scissors

Important phone numbers and info. (in notebook)

Cash

Snacks

Vienna Sausages

Tuna salad and crackers (ready to eat)

Hard candy for quick energy

Applesauce

Fruit cup or dried fruit

Beef Jerky

Peanuts

Fruit snacks

Gum

Granola bars or protein bars

Plastic spoons

For Infants and Toddlers

WATER

Soap (hand sanitizer and body wash)

Infant and/or child’s acetaminophen and/or ibuprofen

Shampoo

Toothbrush

Toothpaste

Sunscreen

Hand lotion

Chapstick or Aquafore

Socks

Clothes

Flashlight

Wipes

Diapers

Baby formula

Bottle

Baby Food

Spoon

Pacifier

Toys

Stuffed animal*

Coloring books and crayons

Easy card games

Blanket (extra hospital blankets work great so don’t throw those away)

Snacks

Granola bars

Applesauce

Fruit snacks

Fruit cup or dried fruit

Peanuts (toddlers that are old enough)

Handi-Snacks (Cheese dip and crackers)

Hard candy

Vienna Sausages (for toddlers)

Spaghetti-O’s (single serving size)

Plastic spoons

*I have a back-up favorite stuffed animal for my daughter. She has grown attached to it and loves it more than anything. I went online and bought a back-up to put in our emergency kit. It will be a great comfort if we have to leave home.

Other things to have on hand in the car: blankets, water, emergency car kit (jumper cables, etc.)

Monday, August 1, 2011

We just recently moved from California to Boston this spring. This week I will be packing up our two girls and heading to Cali to visit my fam. Hubs has to stay behind and work. :( We will be gone for almost a month so my vacation from blogging begins today as I prepare for our trip. :) I am extremely excited to go back to my native land of perfect weather. Happy August!